You can also set a password when you download ImportBuddy. If you set a password when downloading ImportBuddy, it overrides the password you created in your BackupBuddy Settings. If you leave the option blank, it will use the default password you created in your settings.

An ImportBuddy password can also be set during the Quick Setup page after first installing BackupBuddy.

Accessing ImportBuddy

After setting your ImportBuddy password, there are two ways you can access ImportBuddy:

Manually downloading (and then uploading to destination server)

Sending to destination from within BackupBuddy

Manually Downloading and Uploading to Destination Server

Manually Downloading ImportBuddy

To download ImportBuddy, navigate to the Restore/Migrate page in BackupBuddy and click the Download ImportBuddy button. This will initiate the download of the ImportBuddy file.

Uploading ImportBuddy to your destination server

Decide on the FTP directory that you would like to migrate or restore the backup to (using an empty directory is best) that corresponds to the web URL you want your destination site to be at. For example, if you want your new site's URL to be "http://your.com/mybuddy/" then your server directory MIGHT be something like /user/yourusername/public_html/mybuddy/. This is the directory you will then put importbuddy.php into. Note: The directory structure varies host to host but often follows a similar format.

The 6 ImportBuddy Steps

Advanced Options

ImportBuddy's Advanced Options allow customization of various ImportBuddy functionality for custom purposes or troubleshooting. Exercise caution as some advanced options may have unforeseen effects if not used properly, such as overwriting existing files or erasing existing database content.

Advanced Options can be located after clicking the Advanced Options button during the 6 ImportBuddy Steps.

ZIP Archive Extraction (Step 2)

Skip zip file extraction - Checking this box will prevent extraction/unzipping of the backup ZIP file. You will need to manually extract it either on your local computer then upload it or use a server-based tool such as cPanel to extract it. This feature is useful if the extraction step is unable to complete for some reason.

Import Logging - Errors and other debugging information will be written to importbuddy.txt in the same directory as importbuddy.php. This is useful for debugging any problems encountered during import. Support may request this file to aid in tracking down any problems or bugs.